Machine for edge gluing veneer strips



July 2l, 1942. w. J. MILLER MACHINE FOR EDGE GLUING VENEER STRIPS Filed Nov. 28, 1940 July 21, 1942. w. J. MILLER l2,290,162

MACHINE FOR EDGE GLUING VENEER STRIPS Filed Nov. 28, 1940 3 Sheets-SheegnZ INVENTOR M//fm JMJ/ef v @@ahv@ ATTORNEY July 21, 1942. w. J. MILLER 2,290,762

MACHINE FOR EDGE GLUING VNEER STRIPS Filed Nov. `2:3, 1940 3 sheets-sheet :s

E INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patenied JulyZl, y

William J. Miller,v Seattle, Wash.; assigner to Elliott Bay Mill Co., Seattle, Wash., a corporation o! Washington ApplicannNovemberzs, 1940, serial 367,558

claims. (01.144479) 'Ihis invention relates to a machine rforjoining veneer strips together in edge to edge relation, and the machine herein disclosed and claimed is adapted for carrying out the method `of edge gluing veneer strips disclosed and Aclaimed in my prior application Serial No. 268,-

035, iiled Apr. 15, 1939.

'The general objects of this invention are to provide a new and improved machine for edge joining strips of veneer` whereby an increase in production in a veneer plant is made possible, waste of material is greatly reduced, prodiuction costs are lowered, and the quality of the finished plywood is improved.

The edge joining of strips of veneer is not new and has been carried out in various ways, such as by the use of gummed tape, by mechanical provides for moving the veneer strips synchronously withv a continuously moving heated platen and holding the adjoining edges of the veneer strips immovable relative to each other and immovable relative 'to the surface of the platen while the glue that secures the ,adjoining edges of the strips together is' being cured and set.

In accordance with present practice inveneer plants `a sheet of veneer stockcoming in a continuous strip from a log in a lathe is cut transversely ofthe sheet and lengthwise .of the grain of the wood Vto form panels. 'Lf no defects are present in the sheet it is cut into panels of a predetermined correct width. .However there are usually numerous defective portions to be. cut

. out ofthe sheet andthe cutting out of these defasteners such as soft metal staples, and Iby edge gluing. The edge gluing of the veneer strips is the most desirable method of securing them vto gether as it eliminates the use of undesirable superiicial means such as staples or tape. However the edge gluing. of veneer strips is not generally employed because the machines heretofore used for this purpose have been slow and expensive and unreliable and require the services of a large number of men to edge glue all of the veneer required in a large plant.

Some of the machines heretofore used for edge gluing veneer strips requirethe veneer strips to :be fed through the machine in .a direction lengthwise of the grain. This requires the venneer` strips to travel a total distance in the machine equal to the-total length of the edges being glued, for instance, if av sheet of veneer is one hundred inches long and six feet wide and comprises six pieces having ve edge joints it would have to travel longitudinally a total distance of iive hundred inches in a machine to complete the edge gluing; If this .same piece travels through a machine in a direction crosswise of the grain the gluing will be completed in a very much less distance of travel and the distance of travel of the panel in the machine will not need to;A be much more than the Width of the panel.-

Other machines heretofore used :for edge gluing veneer strips provide for feeding the veneer strips in a direction crosswise of the grain of the strips and stopping each joint between hot Eplates long enough to set the glue. l chines are'necessarily slow as the veneer must he stopped for the curing of each joint and it will be apparent that this will consume much time if veneer pieces are to be edge glued.

fective portions results in the production of a large number of narrow pieceswhich heretofore have usually been disposed of as waste and have not been utilized.

` My present invention makes it possible to utiiizea,large proportion of these narrow strips of from two to twelve inches in width by providing a machinev for edge gluing which is -fast enough and inexpensive enough so'. that these strips may be utilized Vwith practically no additional cost over present methods.l IIn commercial operation the saving in material or yield per thousand .feet of logs is increased by at least twelve and one half percent. On a thirty dollar log cost this would be a saving of approximately four dollars over and .above the cost of present day methods.

My invention makes it commercially practical 4to edge 'glue all of the veneer pieces used in large veneer plants, including the pieces used for the cores orinside plies. This substantially eliminates the possibility of openings being left between the edges of adjacent pieces of core stock andresultsJ in the production of better plywood.

Heretofore it has been common' practice to feed the separate pieces of core stock through the glue In accordance with my invention mymachine rolls and .place these separate pieces. in edge to edge relation between the -outer vplies of stock with the edges of the core pieces as close together-as they can conveniently .be placed. The core, made up in this way often consists of a large num-ber lof relatively narrow pieces and thisy method'has usually resulted .in numerous small openings being left between adjacent pieces of the coreor'inside ply; These openings weakenl I comes all of these difliculties and at the same `time results in a saving in the cost of production ofthe veneer.

Another objectionable and wasteful feature of present practice which my machine overcomes is as follows: In present practice the veneer pieces which areused for the core are of irregular and uneven. shape and size and are not sized or matched in any way to fit the panel being made. This results in uneven and overhanging edges of glued stock and these overhanging edges have to be removed with a loss of both glue and stock. When my machine is used it is possible and practical to have all pieces of stock cut to4 substantially the correct size so that there is very little waste to be trimmed away after the gluingv of the panels is completed.

In accordance with my invention the pieces of veneer to be edge glued are trimmed so that they are of equal width and have straight edges to insure good edge to edge contact. The nrst step in the' edge 'gluing operation is to apply glue to at least one edge of each veneer piece. This may be done either by hand or by mechanical means and the glue may be applied to both'edges of the pieces if desired. Any suitable glue or adhesive can be used but I prefer a synthetic resin glue which`sets very hard and strong under the application of heat and some pressure. The pieces are then fed to a continuously moving heated platen. Justahead of the location where the glued edges of the pieces of veneer engage with the heated platen they are passed between rolls which press the pieces of veneer straight throughl out their full length so that all joints are leveled and there are no high spots or low'spots at the glued joints.

The glued edges of the continuouslymoving pieces extend crosswise of their direction of travel and are held iirmlyand immovably in contact with each other and with the heated platen from the time they engage said platen until the glueis completely'set and cured. The thin edge glued veneer stock discharges from the platen in a continuousrsh'eet whichmay be cut into pieces of predetermined size and is ready' to be made up vinto plywood as soon as it has cooled. If desired the edge glued stock may be artificially cooled asl any heat inthe stock at the time glue is applied thereto for makingv it into plywood mayA Pressure on the. adjoining edges of the veneer.

strips is obtained by using a driven feed to advance the veneer'strips against the back pressure exerted by the platen. In feeding the veneer strips tc the platen with suiiicient speed and force to drive the platen. and associated movin-g parts the adjoining edges of the veneer strips-are pressed very firmly together and the veneer strips and platen and moving parts associated therewith all move together at the same rate of speed with no movement of the adjoining edges of the veneer strips relative to each other or relative to the platen surface on which they rest. Providing a platen drive which operates at a slightly slower speed than the veneer insures that theplaten will always be moving when the machine is operating. This insures the thrust of the veneer will not have to do more than accelerate can be used. On the other hand if this inertia provides too much resistance a means of partially overcoming the same may be provided to avoid applying too great pressure to the edges of the veneer pieces with a possible crushing effect. Veneer of different thickness may require different pressure.

I have obtained a satisfactory setting of the glue by maintaining the adjoining edges of the veneer pieces in contact with the heated moving platen for about fteen seconds. Obviously this time may be varied for different glues and different degrees of heat. -The size ofthe platen will determine the speed at which the stock may be moved. A platen six feet in diameter will provide suflicient curing time so that the edge glued stock may be discharged at the rate of about forty lineal feet per minute. The stock discharges in a continuous strip or sheet with the grain of the wood positioned crosswise of its direction of travel. While in contact with the heated platen the veneer stock is held straight with the edges of the strips in intimate contact and immovable relative to each other and relative to the surface of the platen. This provides a continuous operation that is very fast and that does not have any tendency to break loose cured or partiallycured joints or to crush or otherwise damage the wood.

vThe table over which the veneer passes is provided With a curved section over which the feed belts operate and near the location where the` veneer enters between said belts. This places the veneer strips under curvature at the timethe adjoining edges are first pressed together and pre-J vents over-riding of the adjoining edges. Flexible spaced apart endless traveling belt means is provided to hold the stock in contact with the platen during the curing operation.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In said drawings Fig. l is a side elevationwith parts in section of a continuously moving platen device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same substantially on line 2-.2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. l, and showing the driving means for the platen.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of veneer feeding means taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig. 1, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of veneer feeding means taken substantially'on broken line .sufficient length to .accommodate the longest veneer strips that will be edge glued. Suitable axially disposed bearings are provided at each herein shown comprise axial tubular shaft means d rigid with the platen and supported on bearing rollers 'l that are journaled in a frame 8. Suitable means are provided within the plate for heating thesame. The heating means herein somewhat diagrammatically illustrated com- Suitable means are provided with the moving platen while the glue on the abutting edges of the veneer piecesis being cured for holding veneer' `pieces I'I in relatively immovable engagement rsermones end 'of the 'platen s. The amr platen bearings table 28 and upper traveling feed belt means 21 positioned above the lower feed belt means 2l The end portions of the upper and lower feet -belt means are spaced from the platen 5 an( the intervening space is bridged lby incline( lveneer guiding means comprising transversel: spaced apart uppejr guide bars 28 and trans versely. spaced apart lower guide bars 30. Th

' guide bars 29 and 30 are offset transversely t avoid lclamping and pinching-the veneer and arr alternately positioned above and below the venee to receive the pieces of veneer therebetween.

At a location beneath the upper lap of feel y belt 26 the feed table 28 is preferably provide and set. This means comprises a plurality of transversely spaced apart pliable endless belt members I3 which are drawn snugly around the platen preferably for more than one half of its circumference. These pliable endless belt members I3 extend around a grooved roll I4 at the location where the veneer pieces I1 first engage with the platerx-5v and around another grooved roll I5 at the location where the veneer pieces II leave the platen. The belt members I3 also extend over a plurality of guide rolls l'by which the portions Vof said vbelt members that are not in engagement with the platen are guided clear of the platen Vwhile they traverse the distance between the two rolls l4 and I5. A resiliently supported tightener roll I8 is operatively engaged with each endless belt member I3 to provide individual tensioning means for each belt member.

One way of resiliently supporting each tightener rollv I8 is to rotatably mountthe same on one end portion of a lever arm I9 that is fulcrumed -on a pivot and that has its .other end portion connected with a tension spring 2l. The pivots V20 and tension springs 2| are connected with the frame 8. I-have obtained satisfactory operation by spacing the pliable endless belt members I3 about two inches apart.

The bearing at each end of the lower roll I4 is preferably mounted in one end portion of a lever arm `22 that is pivoted on a fulcrum '23 and 'is connected'at the other end with bolt means 24 so that the position of the'roll I4 relative to' the platen 5 may be varied to suit the thickness ofthe veneer pieces that are being edge glued. 'Ihe bearings at the end portions of the upper roll I5 are secured to the frame and this roll I5 is preferably positioned far enough away from the platen 5 to provide clearance .for the discharge thereunder of veneer pieces Aof any thickness that will ordinarily be handled.

The pliable endless belt members I3 may be of twisted wire: construction. The lowerv roll I4 has a plurality of spaced apart grooves 25therein for the reception of the belt members I3. The depth of these grooves 25 is preferably substantially equal to the diameter of the belt members with a curved or arched 'section 60 over whicl the feed belts 28 and 21 pass carrying the venee `pieces-I1 between them. As'the veneer piece pass over this arched section they will be ben to a curvature'which 'will tend to stillen ther and this will tend to lstraighten out the edge and will help to level any adjacent edge portion that have a tendency to overlap. Two drivei feed roll assemblies 43l and 32 are provided on above the other adjacent the I platen 5 and Jus forward of the roll I4 to help feed the venee to the platen 5 and to insure that the ad-joinin edges of the veneer pieces are flush and leve Each driven feed roll assembly 3| and 32 prefer ably comprises a lplurality of rollers secured o a shaft a'nd spacedv far enough apart longitudi nally of the shaft 'to allow clearance for tlguide bars 29 and 30 to pass between them. Oi viously the driven feed roll assembliesv 32 and i can be one piece rolls'with annular slots lto pr( vide clearance for `the guide bars 29 and 3 Preferably lower framemea'ns 33 supports tl.'

lower guide -bars 30 andlower leveling and fee roll :i2-while upper frame means 34 suppor the upper guide bars 29 and upper leveling at feed roll 3I.-

Preferably the .upper frame means 34 is ai justably supported above the lower frame meal Y 33 so that the upper guide bars 23- and upp rolls 3| may be adjusted relative lto the'low guide bars 30 and lower roll means 32 to accon modate veneer of different thickness. One meal for securing this adjustmentl is to connect tl upper and lower frames 33 and 34 hy thread rods 35having nuts 36thereon which may adjusted to relatively adjust the two frames.

The forward ends of the guide bars 29 and terminate in close proximity tothe ends .of t feed belts 21 and 26 so as to receive the vene without allowing it to be unsupported as it transferred from the feed belts to the guide ba The other end portions'of the guide bars -29 a: 33 terminate in close proximity to vthe platen yand roll I4, as shownin Fig. 1, so as to transl I3 whereby marring of the veneer pieces by the belt members. I3 as the veneer pieces pass between the roll I4 and platen 5 is avoided and the veneer is held rmly in engagementwith the platen beyond roll I4. The upper roll I5 and -I guide rolls I6 are also preferably annularly grooved to receivethe beltmembers I3 and the grooves in all of these rolls keep the belt members properly spaced apart at all times.

One satisfactory means by which the veneer pieces may be fed to the platen comprises lower traveling feed belt means 26 movable on a feed the veneer to the platen withoutv leaving it u supported for any substantial distancean'd wit out danger of the veneer buckling or the adjoi ing edges thereof becoming displaced. i

The lower feed belts 26 operate on belt whe 31 on shafts 38 and 39 respectively; The upl feed belts 21 operate on belt wheels 4I) on sha 4I and 42 respectively. The` shaft 38 is driv by alink belt 43 through a clutch 44. The sh: 4I is preferably driven from the shaft 36 gearwheels 45, Fig. 3,V whichv interconnect tli two shafts-and provide for driving the lov belts 26 and upper belts 21 at the same spe 'Ihe gear ratio of the belt driving means provie "for driving the belts 26'and 21r faster than i rolls 3| vand 32.

Preferably auxiliary rollers 46 are provided 26. A slight amount of vertical floating movenent is also allowed the inner shaft 4I of the ipper feed belts by allowing a small amount of novement between bearing brackets 5D that sup- )ort said shaft and the frame means 34 with which said bearing brackets are connected. Chis may be accomplished by connecting the inier endportions of the brackets 50 with the 'rame means 34 by means of pivots 5I and usng bolts 52 with adjustable nuts 53 thereon to :onnect the brackets 5!) with the frame means I4 at a distance from the pivot means 5| so as to tllow a small amount of vertical floating move-` nent. The vertical floating movement thus provided for the shaft 4I and the adjustment reluired by the frame 34 are not enough to impair yhe operation ofthe gears 45 that provide the iriving connection between the shafts 311 and II. Bars 54 hold the shafts 4| and 42 in spaced part relation.

As the feed belts are running at'a faster speed l han the veneer feeding and leveling rolls 3 I and there will be some slippage between these feed )elts and the veneer and the feed belts w'ill alvays tend to crowd the adjacent edges of veneer nieces together. Providing for vertical oating( novment of the upper feed belts 21 facilitates yhis slippage without danger of crowding the adoining edges of the' veneer pieceseinto overlap- )ing relation. Also this floating movement helps o allow pieces of veneer which are fed between yhe feed belts at an angle to automatically rectify yheir alignment so that all edges of all pieces will )e snugly crowded .together throughout the entire ength of the pieces.

To facilitate the feeding of narrow veneer nieces I also preferably provide a plurality of ipper feed rolls 55 and lower feed rolls 56 a ;hort distance in front of the feed rolls 3| and 32.

lhese rolls 55 and 56 are mountedon shafts 51 Lhat are connected by gears 58 and driven by ink belt means 59 from the shaft of the feed 'oll 32.

Any suitable drive means may be provided.

Fhe drive means herein shown comprises a motor iI having a driving connection with a speed reiuction gear 62. A link belt 63 connects the ;peed reduction gear 62 with a clutch member i4 on-the shaft 65 of the lower feed -rol1 32. A :lutch lever 66 provides for selectively connecting ir disconnecting the clutch member 64 and shaft i5 to selectively drive or stop said shaft. At the de Aof the machine opposite from the clutch 64 .he shaft 65 of lower feed roll 32 is preferably :onnected with the shaft 65 of upper feed roll II by gearwheels 61, see Fig. 3. Also this same shaft 65 is connected with the shaft 68 of the .ower roll I4which carries the pliable belt mem- Jers I3 by "z"il"linl: belt 69 operable on sprocket wheels VIIl'zand 1I. The gear ratio of link belt 69 ind sprocket wheels 10 and 1| provides for driv- ,ng the lower roll I4 which carries the pliable belt members I3 at a slower peripheral speed than ',he feed rolls 3| and 32. However the sprocket wheel 1| is connected with the shaft 68 by overrunning clutch means, such as ratchet devices 12 so that the thrust of the venerwill ordinarily furnish the power to move the platen 5 and pliable belt members I3 while the driven sprocket -wheel 1| will idle at a slower rotary'speed than the shaft 68. In starting the machine the driving means for shaft 6B will impart initial momentum to the platen 5 and belts I3 so that these parts will be moving a little slower than the veneer at the time the first piece of veneer engages them. This places the thrust of driving the platen and belts on the veneer without subjecting it tothe shockof starting these parts from rest. Also when the feeding of veneer stops and after the last piece of veneer has passed the feed rolls 3| and 32 the drive to shaft 68 will keep the platen 5 and pliable belts I3 moving until the veneer has all been discharged from the machine.

Preferably the veneer discharges from the machine in a continuous strip and between moving discharge belts 13 and 14 that convey it away to any suitable location where itis clipped into panthe rear of the lower roll I4 which carries the pliable belt members I3. The rollers 83 are slightly narrower than the spaces between the pliable belt members I3 and run on the veneer and help to squeeze out any air pockets or bubbles that may occur between the veneer and the platen.4 Also they help to insure perfect contact betweenthe veneer and the platen. The shaft 82 is supported by lever arms 84 that are fulcrumed on pivots 85 and have weights 86 thereon to yieldingly hold the rollers 83 in engagement with the veneer.

The veneer pieces I1 may be stacked one upon another on any suitable support positioned near the head end of the lower feed belt means 26. Glue in liquid form may be sprayed or otherwise applied on one or both edges of the pieces I1 and the pieces I1 may be fed onto the lower feed belt means 26, manually or by mechanical means,

with their glued edges positioned close together whereupon they will pass under the upper feed belt means 21 and be crowded together and-advanced toward the platen.

The veneer pieces I1 are fed crosswise of the feed table in edge to edge relation preferably with the adjacent edges substantially parallel and spaced apart a short distance. The upper and lower feed belt means 26 and 21 tend to hold the veneer pieces fiat and prevent any overlapping of the edges thereof as said pieces pass toward the platen 5.` The feed rolls 3| and 32 travel at a slower speed than the feed belts 26 and 21 and this tends toV slow up and hold back the moving pieces and results in the adjoining edges of the veneer pieces being firmly pressed together before the veneer p'ieces pass between the feed rolls 3| and 32. The thrust required to move the platen 5 and belts I3 keeps these edges pressed firmly together. As the contacting edges of the veneer pieces with-the wet glue thereon pass between the roll I4 and platen 5 the adjoining edges of the veneer pieces are leveled and said platen.

lJoining' edges of the veneer pieces pass under the f v' roll I4 they also pass under theendless belt members I3 and when lthey pass beyond the roll- Il they are subjected to the 'further pressure of until the glue is set with ample strength to hold the edges. By using a strong quick setting synthetic resin glue I am able to edge glue the veneer pieces together so strongly that when the .nished rollers 83 and are held very ilrmly in contact.

- withk the .continuously moving platen Gby the belt members l3vand each pair of adjoining edges is held immovable relative to the surface ofthe platen 5 and immovable relative to each other veneer sheet is put under tension it will split or separate along other lines but not on the glue lines, thus showing that the glued edges are l stronger than the remainder ofthe sheet.

Different glues may require a dierent degree of heat or a different curing-time. I have been able to cure the glue by maintaining the glued edges in contact with the heated moving platen 5- for about fteen seconds. lThe size of the platen may be varied to suit therequirements as to rate of output desired. With a platen six` feet in diameter I am able to discharge. edge glued stock of any width up to the maximum width of the machine at a rate of aboutforty lineal feet per minute. At this rate it is possible 2. Apparatus foredg`e veneer-stripe comprising a cylindrical vheated platen supported 'for axial rotation; movable feed means positioned 'to feed veneer strips that vhave glue coated edges to said cylindrical platen in a direction substantially tangentialto the circumference of said' platen withthe adjacent glue'coated edges of the strips positioned 4in abutting relation and extending crosswise vof the' directionof movement of the strips; 'a' plurality of spaced apart pliable veneer holding members extending partially around said cylindricalplaten and positioned to engage with said veneer strips and hold the same in engagement with said cylindrical platen with the abutting glue coated edges of said veneer strips held immovable relative to each other and immovable relative to said vplaten while the glue on the edges of said veneer strips -is being set by heat from said platen;"d'riving means con-'- 'nected with said pliable veneer holding members ving overrunning clutch means comprising pawl to edge glue the veneer stock for av large veneer plant with one ed' e gluing machine.- f Y The belt memers I3 are of heat resistance material such as twisted wire cable, .are close enough together so that no relative movement'of the edge portions'of the pieces between said belts .is permitted and are provided with `individual tighteners so that each belt is .always mainture will operate emciently with'short lengths tained taut. Obviously belt structure of this naof veneer ,pieces Where only partof the belt members are in engagement with the stock and in contactwiththe platen 5.

The foregoing description and 'accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood the restbf'said belt members are operating idly and ratchet devices whereby the faster drive speed for the veneer feed means permits overrunnin'g of the speed of the drive for the veneer holding members and platen when edgeglued and joined veneer strips are'continuously fed to the holding members and platen to relieve the thin veneer strips of the strain of starting a load under thrust, the reduced resistance to movement of the joined veneer strips offered by the platen and the pliable veneer holding members providing a thrust on the veneer strips tending to keep the adjoining edges of the veneer strips crowded'together.

3. In apparatus 'for edge gluing thin veneer strips, upper and lower pliable driven feed belts positioned to receive therebetween and advance the veneer strips in edge to edge adjoining relation with the edges of the strips extending crosswiseof the belts; means cooperating with the feed belts forretarding thev movement. of the veneer strips, whereby the feed belts will crowd the adjoining edges ofthe veneer ,strips .together; and a curved deilecting member. positioned in Aengagement with one of the belts protending crosswise of the direction of movement of the veneer strips; means associated with the feed means to produce a curvature in the veneer strips, while fed by said means, to stiften said( strips and thereby tend to straighten Aout the edges of the veneer strips and prevent overlapping of adjoining edges; and a plurality of independent spaced apart pliable veneer holding members extending partially around said cylindrical platen and"v positioned 'to engage with said veneer strips and hold the same in engagement with said cylindrical platen with the abuttingviding a curvature in the belts and the veneer strips carried therebetween, whereby edge to edge abutting relation 'of the edges ofsaid v eneer strips is' secured and overlapping of the edges of the strips avoided.

4 In apparatus for edge gluing thin veneer strips, upper and lower pliable drivenfeed belts positioned to receive therebetween the veneer strips in edge to edge relation with the edges of the strips extending crosswise of the belts; means beyond the feed belts for retarding the movement of the veneer strips, whereby the feed belts will crowd the adjoining .edges of the veneer strips together; and a curved deector member positioned in engagement with one of the belts providing a curvature in portions of both of said belts and in the veneer strips therebetween whereby the edge prtions of said veneer strips arev held straight and caused to abut squarely together and overlapping of adjoining edges oi said veneer strips is prevented.

5. In apparatus for edge gluing thin veneer strips, upper and lower pliable driven feed belts positioned to receive therebetween veneer stripe that have glue on their edges and are disposed in edge-to edge relation with the edges of the strips extending crosswise of the belts;y feed rolls beyond the feed belts movable at a slower speed than the feed belts for retarding the movement of the veneer strips, whereby the feed belts will crowd the adjoining edges of the veneer strips together; curved detlector means positioned in engagement with the'belts providing curvature in portions of both of said belts and in the veneer strips therebetween whereby the edge portions of said veneer strips are held straight and caused to abut squarely together and overlapping of adjoining edges of said strips is prevented; and continuously moving glue curing means positioned beyond said feed rolls to receive the veneer strips and cure the glue thereon.

WmuAM J. MnlLER.' 

